Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong wins defamation case against blogger

Singapore's High Court ruled yesterday that an activist defamed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong by accusing him in a blog of misappropriating state pension funds.

In the first such ruling in the city-state over a purely online article, a judge issued a summary judgment against Roy Ngerng, a 33-year-old former government employee.

Ngerng, who writes a blog called Heart Truths, was seeking trial to defend himself but High Court Judge Lee Seiu Kin ruled there was "no triable defence against the plaintiff's claim".

"There is no doubt that it is defamatory to suggest that the plaintiff is guilty of criminal misappropriation," the judge said in a written ruling.

Damages will be set at a later date generally such civil suits are launched in the High Court when the value of claims is above S$250,000 (HK$1.5 million).

Ngerng has already admitted his May 15 blog accusing the prime minister, who is also chairman of state investment fund GIC, of misusing the Central Provident Fund (CPF) was false and without foundation.

He offered S$5,000 as compensation to Lee, who rejected the amount.